Over Eating

The #1 Controllable Killer in America: Overeating

Overeating has led to an obesity epidemic in our country. In fact, overeating is the #1 controllable killer in our country. But how and why did it start?

As a matter of fact, overeating became a habit for many during the Great Depression when families barely had enough food to go around—as a result, the motto of “clean your plate” was born. Fast-forward to the 1950’s. With our country out of WWII, we hit an economic boom and prosperity reigned. Finally there was plenty of food to go around (perhaps more than enough!). The generation that was constantly told to clean their plates and finish every scrap, now had this same ideal ingrained into their thinking. As a result, they passed the clean-your-plate mentality on to children of their own.

But there’s more to the history of overeating than the behavior of generations past. The main culprit of our overeating habits is the food industry. Eating is a sensory activity for us—it smells good, looks good, and most importantly of all, tastes good. So we’ve become enamored with processed foods that cater to our senses—after all, these foods maximize the combination of sugar, fat and salt to the point of irresistibility. This combination tricks our brains into eating well beyond the point at which we should feel full. Hyper-palatable foods, as they’re called, can even cause us to eat when we’re not hungry.

Though the food industry should be held responsible for the country’s overeating habits, it also falls on our own self-control. Many of us fail to be conscious of what we eat and resort to those hyper-palatable foods. In order to avoid overeating, you need to first of all, recognize your current eating habits. The best way to do avoid overeating is by listening to your body, not your mind.

Before you reach for a snack, ask yourself, am I hungry? If yes, ask yourself another question: What am I hungry for? This process will help you become more aware of your mental, physical and emotional needs.

Sounds really simple, right? It seems easy, but as all dieters know, it’s no easy task. If it was easy, everyone would do it. It takes a commitment to yourself and to your desire to be healthier. A good starting step is to read nutritional labels, see how much sodium, fat, and sugar really is in that “healthy” granola bar. You may be shocked by what you see. This awareness could help to improve your eating habits and could shift you into a healthier lifestyle. It all starts with a little self-awareness!